Update from Pearlington - Dec. 5

Eileen Powers in Pearlington:

Here are some bits and pieces for you to ponder:

Sign at the Pearl*mart today (on cardboard):
"We have permission to be here until June 2006, re Morgan Ladner, School board president. Temporary closing date for Pearlmart and clinic Dec 24-Jan 2 for removal of damaged buildings."

Hancock County Recovery Update, issued today:

"Temporary Clinic closing date -
Several of the temporary walk-in clinics around Hancock County are setting dates to close their operations as the Hancock Medical Centre becomes fully operational. - Pearlington Clinic January 1, 2006"

8 Days of Hope Mission "Helping put people back in homes" The will be visiting the area Dec 10 thru Dec 18 and would like to help some families rebuild. Phone (662 871-2315)

Update from Hazekiah in Pearl*Mart:
Mrs. Beth Randall is putting herself in charge of the Pearl*Mart, getting rid of people who helped there before. The Randalls will accept donations for the town.

Pearl*Mart clothing has been boxed and moved to other needy centres along the coast. Tinned food has been moved from the classrooms to the Pearl*Mart shelves.

Other:
Toward the end of the day a group of men and women, obviously not volunteers, was standing near the water tank assembly area. One male separated himself from the group. Turns out he is the architect for the school board, but didn't want to be seen with FEMA and MEMA members of the
group.

The conversation with him revealed this:
Another school is being demolished, not cleaned-up. Nothing had been done to it since the hurricane and it was a mess. There was less damage to this (Pearlington) school because the volunteers did so much cleaning. But ut's not a safe buiding, people shouldn't be going in. RE my question will the board rebuild the school, he replied that the board " intends to" rebuild, and that the demolition of the stated rooms is "slated" to happen. The rebuilt school might be on another part, and the demolished areas made into playing fields. It's 8' above sea level.

Apparently, FEMA will pay for the school demolition if it's done by Jan 5, which is the end of the disaster period. The state doesn't want to pay for it.

Sun Herald - Southwest Mississippi's newspaper Dec 5/05
"Hancock looks at shortening volunteer lifeline. It's part of county's Katrina recovery plan" by Ryan LaFontaine